Warriors' David Lee again is playing like an All-Star

Updated 10:54 pm, Monday, January 27, 2014

Forward David Lee is averaging 21.4 points and 10.3 rebounds this month.

Forward David Lee is averaging 21.4 points and 10.3 rebounds this month.

Photo: Jonathan Bachman, Associated Press

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Warriors David Lee, (10) puts up a shot over Portland's Thomas Robinson, (41) in the first half, as the Golden State Warriors take on the Portland Trail blazers, at Oracle Arena on Sunday Jan. 26, 2014, in Oakland, Calif. less

Warriors David Lee, (10) puts up a shot over Portland's Thomas Robinson, (41) in the first half, as the Golden State Warriors take on the Portland Trail blazers, at Oracle Arena on Sunday Jan. 26, 2014, in ... more

Photo: Michael Macor, The Chronicle

Warriors' David Lee again is playing like an All-Star

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David Lee's team goals are much more important to him than being selected to the Western Conference All-Star team.

But if he really wants the coaches to select him as one of the seven reserves Thursday, he merely might have to ship them video of Sunday's home game against Portland.

Playing for a second consecutive game with the help of an anti-inflammatory injection in his barking left shoulder, Lee filled the stat sheet the way he usually does: 17 points, 12 rebounds and three assists.

What would catch the coaches' attentions is that Lee also was the primary defender on the Trail Blazers' LaMarcus Aldridge, who was limited to 10 points on 2-for-14 shooting from floor as the Warriors beat the team with the conference's third-best record 103-88.

"He stepped up the challenge against a guy who is in the MVP discussion and is having an incredible year," Warriors head coach Mark Jackson said of Lee. "I thought it was in the discussion for David's best overall performance all year."

One of Lee's problems might be that he hasn't really had a signature game to drum up All-Star votes. He mostly goes about his business of consistently producing.

It has become almost automatic to hear Lee's name accompanied by the fact that he's leading the league in double-doubles over the past 1 1/2 seasons and is tops this season in points in the paint. He has scored double-digit points in 121 straight games, trailing only LeBron James and Kevin Durant for the longest active streaks in the NBA - without any of their fanfare.

Lee actually takes it as a compliment. Consistency is one of hardest things to maintain in the NBA. He prides himself on playing and producing every night.

When he was jockeying with Aldridge for post position Sunday, you could see the pain on Lee's face. When he was making multiple-effort plays and stretching his left arm to contest Aldridge's jumpers off pick-and-rolls, you almost could feel Lee's discomfort.

"Right before the All-Star break is when you really have to start fighting through little knickknack injuries here and there. I don't see anybody on our team wavering from the task at hand," Lee said. "It was tough getting through it, but I'll be ready to go next game, too. I pride myself on, if there's any way to be out there, finding a way to be out there. I'll continue that trend and give my team everything I have."

With Durant, Blake Griffin and Kevin Love having been voted into the All-Star Game by the fans, Lee is hoping for one of seven reserve spots split between two guards, three frontcourt players and two wild-card players from any position.

Lee called Aldridge the best power forward in the league this season, but the frontcourt is loaded. Like Lee, San Antonio's Tim Duncan, Houston's Dwight Howard and Dallas' Dirk Nowitzki have their teams in playoff position in the West; on losing teams, New Orleans' Anthony Davis and Sacramento's DeMarcus Cousins are putting up better numbers than Lee.

"I'd really like to make it. You work hard to help your team win games, so you hope that when the coaches vote, that they hope for guys on winning teams," said Lee, who averaged a double-double three times in New York but made only one All-Star appearance with the Knicks. "I would be excited to be there along with my teammate, Steph (Curry), and to represent the Warriors. That would be a great honor."

Last season Lee was the Warriors' first All-Star since Latrell Sprewell in 1997. Curry will be the franchise's first All-Star starter since Sprewell in 1995.

If Curry and Lee both make the team, it will be the first time the Warriors have had two All-Stars since Tim Hardaway and Chris Mullin made three consecutive teams (1991-93).

"He's one of the top power forwards, a guy who plays big-time basketball," Aldridge said of Lee. "He scores, rebounds and just helps his team win."

Maybe Lee should skip the video and simply send that quote to the coaches before they vote.

-- Ron Kroichick: The Warriors are making progress but are in danger of taking a step backward in the playoffs. B2

Tuesday's game

Who: Wizards (21-22) at Warriors (27-18)

Where: Oracle Arena

When: 7:30 p.m.

TV/Radio: CSNBA/680

Of note: With a win, the Warriors will clinch a fourth consecutive season series sweep against Washington for the first time in franchise history. ... The Warriors and Wizards are two of the league's three teams (Detroit) with more wins on the road than at home. ... Washington is the only team in the NBA with six players averaging at least 11 points per game. ... John Wall is averaging career bests in scoring (20 points per game), assists (8.5), steals (1.9) and three-point (32.5 percent) and free-throw shooting (84.1 percent) and tops Eastern Conference point guards with 15 double-doubles. He's coming off a loss Saturday in Utah, where he had 13 points on 4-for-14 shooting and as many turnovers (four) as assists.

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